Weve won from here before . . . in 1954

Have faith  there is a precedent for England suffering a drubbing in the first Test and still enjoying a happy ending

WHEN England emerge from whichever darkened room they shut themselves in after their shambolic start to the defence of the Ashes, they will need something, anything, to clutch at as they drag their coffins out of the Gabba. Here it is: 52 years ago England began their campaign to retain the Ashes by conceding more than 600 runs in Brisbane, were duly hammered — and recovered to win the next three Tests and the series.

Last year England also overturned a chastening drubbing at Lord’s in the first Test, surprising an over-confident Australia in the next four games, but staging such a fightback in hot and alien conditions Down Under is on another level altogether.

In 1954 England fared slightly worse in the Australia’s first innings. Having been put in by Len Hutton, Australia made 601 for eight in 129 overs, 26 fewer than the current lot needed this time. Hutton